Scientists Capture the First Microscopy Images of Ultra-Small Bacteria Believed to Be the Smallest Life Possible

Scientists from the Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory and the University of California, Berkeley have captured the first detailed microscopy images of ultra-small bacteria believed to be some of the smallest life possible. The bacteria are so small that about 150,000 of them could fit on the tip of a human hair.

Samples of groundwater were collected and filtered before being flash frozen for study. The team then used 2-D and 3-D cryogenic transmission electron microscopy to analyze the samples, capturing the first images of the incredible small cells. Little is understood about the ultra-small bacteria, but the ability to capture images of them will likely lead to further study.

images via Berkeley Lab

via Phys.org, Engadget